ABOUT COMICS FOR PEACE

Comics for Peace is focused on developing critical thinking and storytelling competencies in its target beneficiaries; University youth aged 16-28 and provide them the tools to analyze and present solutions to complex issues that foster radicalization in their community. Students are trained through on campus and studio based workshops. A smaller cohort of fellows are recruited and intensively trained by local and international Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) and storytelling experts over a one year period to develop peace-building and socially focused narratives. These narratives are developed as easy to read comic book stories and animations. The students then engaged with their peers through in-campus workshops developed around issues highlighted in the comic books. This allowed them to articulate highly sensitive issues using the scenarios presented in the stories rather than real world instances which can cause an immediate backlash from some segments in their community.

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The stories produced by the students were also disseminated over social media and exhibited at international platforms such as the SanDiego Comic Con to foster engagement with an international audience and develop a deeper understanding of issues impacting youth in Pakistan through this unique form of story based cultural exchange.

Impact of Comics for Peace

The Comics for Peace program was launched in Pakistan in 2018. Over 2000 students in 9 universities across the country participated in the CFP project through panel discussions, workshops and on campus awareness sessions. 20 fellows (an equal mix of male and female students from all parts of the country, representing its unique religious and ethnic makeup) were recruited for the first fellowship program to develop 5 unique and independent stories developed as comic books that emphasized the drivers of radicalization in Pakistan. The stories were well received by students at Universities in the country.

80% of the students who read the comics found the content to be relevant to them.

The program proved to be an effective way of spreading awareness through a medium that young people enjoy; 56% of all students agreed that the comic book made them more aware of an issue that they were unaware of before.

74% of all students either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that the comic book helped them learn more about an issue. Nearly all the students correctly identified the issues that each story was espousing.

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Comics for peace was developed by Creative Frontiers and Published by CFX Comics, with the Support of Creative Learning

Creative Frontiers is an award-winning, full service creative agency specialized in international development communications and behavior change messaging.We break boundaries through creative content towards a better world.

Creative Learning (CL) is a Washington, DC, based NGO with over 40 years’ experience supporting communities and institutions to foster change for lasting social impact. Focused on capacity building, CL works with artisans, peacemakers, civil society organizations and emerging leaders to promote collaboration and peace.